


Raindrops

by fathomlessspite



Series: Watching You Series [3]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-14
Updated: 2013-02-02
Packaged: 2017-11-14 05:25:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/511790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fathomlessspite/pseuds/fathomlessspite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'Have you heard of the phrase 'curiosity killed the cat' Stiles?' Chris returned almost immediately even though it was getting pretty late.  Stiles grinned and sunk further into his pillows.</p><p>'Dude, I met that cat, he has nothing on me.'</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Stiles was on his way to hang out at the Argents.

_Stiles was on his way to hang out at the Argents_

Yeah, even he had to think that one more than once to make it stick in his head. The few weeks he had been stuck in hospital, after almost having his guts completely leave and decorate the forest floor _thank you Allison_ , had been spent sleeping, making a pathetic attempt at eating and pretending to sleep when he had visitors that he just didn't have the energy to deal with.

All this sleeping and pretending to sleep conveniently shored him up in terms of energy for his night-time visitor, which no it wasn't like it sounded, no matter where Stiles' brain went when he was having special alone time. Chris was there completely innocently, after visiting hours, without anyone else knowing...after spending several months following Stiles around the quaint little werewolf infested town they called Beacon Hills. Completely innocent. And even if they hadn't both been pure of thought and intention toward one another Stiles doubts he would have had the energy to act on anything. Turns out getting shot with a cross bow sucks, and then just keeps on sucking.

So with all the naughtiness that wasn't happening he and Chris had to occupy their time somehow. So they talked, sometimes played cards or did the crossword. Chris still had the half finished rather dog-eared crossword book that Stiles had brought him on Chris' own recent hospital visit. Stiles hadn't over thought the fact that he had kept it at all. At all.

Stiles being the human shaped sponge of knowledge that he is managed on occasion to weasel some interesting stories of supernatural hijinks and hunter lore out of Chris in snippets. Tiny little, irritatingly vague snippets and half stories which Chris always let him lead them away from when he got distracted by a tiny little part...and then he'd fall asleep and never hear the end of the original tale. The falling asleep thing with Chris there was nice though, Stiles hated being in the hospital room alone.

A few nights before Stiles was due to leave Chris let slip that his family kept a library, a hunter's library or real life books. Stiles magnanimously let that bit of information slide for then, but stored it with pride of place in his mind under 'shit to follow up later'. There were some truly embarrassing things in there which he had shoved aside to do with Scott, his Dad, one cringeworthy one relating to Danny...and more recently some horrifying questions his mind had come up with for their resident supernatural furry friends. Some of the latter would hopefully be answered by the library of hunter's books Chris had hidden away somewhere.

So Stiles had kept to himself for the first week after he was released. Sat at home, watched some television, played some video games. He'd gone to sleep to the whir of his computer fan cooling down and the light of his alarm clock.

He caved a week to the day and text Chris.

_So, I hear you're the man I need to speak to if I'm interested in books on all things supernatural and hunter-ly._

_Have you heard of the phrase 'curiosity killed the cat' Stiles?_ Chris returned almost immediately even though it was getting pretty late. Stiles grinned and sunk further into his pillows.

_Dude, I met that cat, he has nothing on me._

_I'll bet._

_Come ooooon. You know you want to._ And boy did Stiles want him to want to, he thought idly.

 _I'm going to regret this._ Score one for the Stilinkski charm, Stiles totally had him!

_Probably ;)_

The wink might have been overkill. Stiles didn't care, he was totally riding the high of being awesome and irresistible at the moment.

_Come over tomorrow night. After seven._

_Okay, see you then._

_Goodnight Stiles_

Stiles didn't respond, he was too busy bringing himself off to the image of Chris pinning him to a bookshelf.

And you would think that little exercise would have made him less tense, certainly this morning when he woke up or the long, long shower he had taken before leaving to go to Chris' should have also helped. But no, here he was outside the Argent's house panicking just a little bit.

He was regretting the fact that Scott and Allison were no longer an item, which is something he really, really didn't think he'd ever be feeling. But at least if they were still together he could have text Scott and subtly found out Allison's whereabouts. He doesn't know what he'll do if she answers the door when he knocks. 'Oh, hi Allison. You're dad invited me over to rifle through your super-secret hunters library. And hopefully to give in to the wonder that is Stiles and fuck me senseless.' Yeah, no.

Luckily (or you know, not), Chris opened the door and raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you going to stand out here all night?"

"No." He walked the short length of the pathway outside the house and stopped on the porch. "Is Allison home?" he asked. And it may possibly have come out in at a quiet, possibly whisper type volume.

Chris rolled his eyes. "No she's not. Get in here," he huffed and disappeared into the house, door left ajar behind him.

Well that wasn't exactly safe was it, what with him being a hunter of supernatural type things, and this town crawling with supernatural type things. It was for Chris' own safety really that Stiles darted inside, almost tripping over his own feet in his haste, and shut the door behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

The library wasn't really a library in the conventional sense. There weren't rows of book shelves or haphazardly stacked books all over the place.

It was more along the lines of several dusty looking boxes which Stiles was guessing Chris had lugged up from the basement sometime today and put in the study. It was slightly disappointing in that most of his recent fantasies were now technically inaccurate. But there were still boxes of books for Stiles' reading pleasure and that was pretty awesome.

Chris looked a little shifty as Stiles took in the boxes. "There are more downstairs, and some more in a storage facility not too far from here."

"You don't use them?" Stiles asked, he dropped his laptop bag by the desk and walked over to the nearest box and pulled it open.

"Gerard didn't like having to waste time hunting through them all."

"Hence the flash drive," Stiles nodded his understanding.

"Right," Chris nodded and walked up to stand next to Stiles. He pulled out the top-most book in the box and smoothed a hand over the cover.

"Well I'm not so picky. I kinda love books actually," he admitted. It didn't matter really if Chris knew he was a giant geek, who was he going to tell?

"Me too," Chris grinned at him, Stiles grinned back because wow Chris was really all kinds of gorgeous. 

Stiles bounced on his toes for a moment, "Do you have a record somewhere of them, an index?" he asked.

"No not really, once Gerard scanned the bestiary we kind of stopped using them."

"We should catalogue them!" Stiles said, pulling out the next book in the box. The cover was thick leather and the title embossed on it looked mostly to be in English.

"What?"

"Yeah we can go through them and record the titles, authors, subject you know. Put them all on a spreadsheet or something. Label the boxes and record the locations so you can find what you want easily." Stiles was still bouncing on his toes. Putting stuff in order, getting to go through all these books, spending time with Chris. This would be awesome.

"Really?" Chris asked, disbelief coloured his voice. "You want to help me catalogue my family library," he stated, not even a question.

"Why not?" Stiles smiled at him. "I'll get to go through all your books, learn lots of stuff that might save my life one day..." he trailed off.

Chris stared at him some more for a few seconds, presumably trying to detect ulterior motives, or a mental impairment. But in the end he nodded his agreement.

"Awesome." Stiles grabbed his laptop and opened it up on the desk then darted back over to grab a handful of books before Chris could change his mind.

But Chris didn't change his mind. He pulled up a chair next to Stiles and sat next to him at the desk, elbow to elbow.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw the corner of Chris' mouth twitch into a small satisfied looking smile and Stiles wondered for a moment if he had been played. If this was Chris' plan all along, if he'd tricked Stiles somehow into volunteering to do this, making him believe it was his idea.

Then again, it didn't really matter. Stiles settled into his chair, his thigh brushed against Chris'. "Let's get started."


	3. Chapter 3

The problem was what to tell his dad. It was a lot easier sneaking off to do things best not fully disclosed to his father when he had Scott to back him up. Now he was on his own and struggling a little bit. Like now, when he had told his dad he was going out and been barred from exiting the house.

"Where are you going?"

"Oh you know, just going to drive over to LA, make my fortune as a male model. Live the dream you know," he babbled.

"Stiles," his dad reprimanded.

"Just to study dad, jeez," he exclaimed. Eugh now he was going to ask for specifics, damn.

"Study? It's the holidays, Stiles."

"I am aware of that, but you know me and how I love to learn so..."

"Right," his dad seemed unconvinced. Stiles was offended, really he was. "Who with?"

Crap, crap, crap. Wait a second, aha Stiles Stilinski you genius!

"I'm going to Allison's okay?" he sighed as if his dad had earned a secret out of him. "Don't mention it to Scott I don't know if he'd be okay with it. But yeah, I'm going to study. At Allison's."

His dad was still frowning at him. And there hadn't even been a single lie in that sentence. Stiles still felt vaguely guilty, but no blatant lies had been told.

"So, am I free to go?" he asked eventually.

"Yeah sure," his dad sighed. Stiles began to head towards the door. "Hang on. Son, you an Allison aren't...?" he trailed off.

"Eeew no! Dad! Studying I am going to Allison's to study, with books and my laptop and books. No me-and-Allison anything okay?" That was disturbing on so many levels. And he was never ever repeating it to Chris ever. Bleach, he needed to bleach his brain. No.

"Okay, okay. Have fun studying," his dad relented. Although there was still an odd lilt to the word studying that Stiles absolutely did not hear at all.

\----

Stiles didn't know where Allison went in the evenings when he went round to the Argent's house. Sometimes he wondered if Chris knew where she was and what she was doing. If maybe he should be keeping better tabs on her considering the whole taking after her grandfather psycho episode she had going on there for a while. But mostly that thought process ended with him being grateful that things were the way they were and that Stiles got to spend his evening with Chris and boxes full of books.

Sometimes though he'd get distracted from the task. On a few very memorable occasions he stopped what he was doing to admire the coiled strength in Chris' arms as he carried boxes of books back and forth. Or sometimes he would spend minutes watching Chris concentrating on a book, trying to parse its old English into something comprehensible. He would trace the line of Chris' frown with his eyes until Chris noticed his gaze, would look up for a split second and then quickly look away. 

More and more though Chris smiled when he caught Stiles watching, and Stiles began to wonder how Chris couldn't hear the way Stiles' heart beat so fast; felt like it might literally beat its way out of his chest when that happened. Even if Chris only had human senses where Stiles' usually social circle had super-human werewolf hearing.

One day Chris met his gaze and asked, "Do you know how to shoot?"

"Uh, what?" Stiles asked intelligently, brain still stuck somewhere around the corner of Chris' mouth which was currently quirked at him in amusement.

"A gun, can you fire a gun?" he clarified.

"That's a weird question," Stiles brain finally managed to get his mouth to say. Chris just raised an eyebrow. "Yeah I had lessons when I was a bit younger. I was curious and I think my dad thought it was better someone taught me that stuff than me trying to learn on my own."

"But you haven't used one since?" Chris asked.

"No, I kind of lost interest. What's with the twenty questions?" he asked, curious now. He got up from the desk and went and dropped down next to Chris on the small sofa.

"I was thinking maybe you should brush up on your skills?" he suggested. "Just so if we're ever in a situation, I know I could hand you a gun and you would know how to use it."

"Like a werewolf situation? I'm not shooting any of my friends, Chris. Or wolf-like-acquaintances," he amended.

"No, I wouldn't ask you to."

"So for like another kanima situation maybe?" Stiles asked.

"Yeah, or something like that," Chris agreed, snapping shut the book he had been reading, which Stiles could now see was a book on shape shifters. He made a mental note of the title. "I just want you to be able to protect yourself," he said earnestly, he shifted slightly so he could look Stiles in the eye. And oh my god, that just wasn't fair at all.

"Okay fine," he capitulated. "But you're gonna' teach me right?" he asked.

"You don't need teaching," Chris prevaricated.

"Okay the refresher course or whatever," Stiles shrugged.

Chris took a deep breath, "Yeah, yesI can do that."

"Cool," Stiles smiled. And just for a moment as they held each other’s gaze Stiles thought that Chris seemed to be leaning just a fraction of an inch closer and-

The front door opened and slammed shut downstairs. Chris blinked and turned to look at the door of the study.

"Is that Allison?" Stiles asked quietly.

"Yes," he said, stood up and walked across to the door. Stiles quickly grabbed the book and his laptop and shoved them in his bag.

Chris turned back around as they heard Allison stomp up the stairs. "You should probably-"

"Go, yeah," Stiles agreed.

They walked quietly to the front door, pausing when they got there to communicate their goodbyes silently. But it felt like there was something hanging in the air. Stiles felt like he should- wanted to- screw it. He leant up and at the last second wussed out and pressed a chaste kiss to Chris' cheek before he darted out of the door and back to his jeep. Too much of a coward, he berated himself, to wait and see Chris' reaction.


	4. Chapter 4

Stiles didn't hear from Chris for three days. It wasn't that long in the grand scheme of things, they had certainly gone that long without speaking at least once over the past month. But in light of what Stiles did the last time he was in close proximity to Chris, maybe it was for the best.

He was not going to let it get to him. So he had access to a hunter's library and just well, Chris for a while there. But he had screwed it up, not to be unexpected in the life of Stiles Stilinksi.

The other thing (well the _new_ other thing) that was getting to him was Scott. Scott kept giving him weird looks. Again not unexpected in the life of Stiles Stilinksi. These weird looks though were not usually of the alternatively suspicious and concerned variety.

"What?!" Stiles snapped eventually. They were walking up to his front door on their way to an afternoon of video games and junk food.

"What?" Scott responded, immediately defensive.

"What's with the frown-y face of doom, dude? Seriously if you're not going to say anything to me about what's bugging you then at least have the courtesy to be more subtle with, you know, your face," he waved a hand in the general direction of Scott's face and stomped into the house.

The silence following his question was worrying. Stiles began to wish he had never said anything, Scott looked like he was working himself up to asking Stiles something. If it was this difficult to get out it couldn't be good. Stiles did the only logical thing he could think of; he ran.

Running from a werewolf was probably pretty futile. Running upstairs to his room and flopping down on his bed with his arm across his eyes was a pretty pathetic thing to do. Stiles didn’t really care, he was tired and still vaguely sore in the ginormous scar area. And he was pretty fed up of trying to pretend he wasn't feeling like shit about the fact he hadn't heard from Chris in three days.

Scott came through the door a few moments later and dropped into Stiles' desk chair.

"Shoot," Stiles said into his elbow.

"Allison said you were at her house."

"Yeah?" Stiles asked faintly.

"Yeah. She saw your jeep down the road from her house. She wasn't sure what was going on so she ran upstairs to her room to ring me, and when she looked out of the window she saw you coming out of the front door and running down the street," Scott explained.

"Is there a question in there, Scott?" Stiles asked, he took his arm away from his face and rolled so he was facing his friend.

"What's going on?" Scott asked. "Allison thinks maybe her dad is trying to recruit you."

Stiles let out a surprised laugh, "Recruit me?"

"Yeah you know, to be a hunter or something," Scott shifted and looked uncomfortable. Stiles just looked at him, yeah that made a whole load of sense. Stiles being a hunter when his best friend was a werewolf, when he'd been more or less beaten unconscious by a hunter all too recently.

"I know," Scott sighed. "It's stupid. But she said there were all these books all over the place and I know how much you- Is he seducing you with books Stiles?" Scott asked earnestly.

Stiles laughed again but slightly bitterly this time. "No he is not seducing me with books. No I am not a hunter in training. Just no." He sat up and looked at Scott tiredly.

"Then what?"

"Then...," Stiles ran a hand over the back of his head. "Allison shot me, he felt bad, visited me a few times," Stiles explained, he left out the start of the story. He didn't think Scott would appreciate the well intentioned stalking part. "He let slip that they have all these books, a hunter library. I kind of got myself an invitation to you know, look at the books."

"And he's letting you?" Scott asked incredulously.

"I know right. Oh man Scott, there are like boxes and boxes of these things, and most of them are like old and leather bounds some are on frickin' parchment. It's like someone boxed up Hogwarts library and put it in the Argent's basement," he grinned and bounced a little on the bed. Scott smiled a little in return, helpless in the face of Stiles enthusiasm.

"So he's just letting you nose around all their books? All their secrets?" Scott asked.

"There aren't like hunter diaries man. Most of it is books on mythology and stuff, it's still pretty awesome though."

"But I can't believe he's trusting you with this, with no ulterior motive," Scott shook his head.

"He trusts me I guess, well as much as he trusts anyone," Stiles paused. "I think maybe he's kinda lonely a bit? His wife died, his dad went psycho and disappeared and most of the hunters drifted away after that whole thing. And Allison barely talks to him..." he trailed off.

"So he's letting you go through all his stuff because he's lonely?" Scott asked with the frown-y face of confusion.

"Yeah maybe," Stiles said and flopped back down on his bed. He tapped his fingers tips against his stomach and contemplated the ceiling

"Stiles?"

"It's nice though, he's pretty cool," Stiles admitted after a moment. "I guess I didn't realise but I was kinda lonely too ."

"Stiles," Scott looked at him wide eyed.

"No dude, you have Allison and that's you know awesome. Just all the werewolf stuff has meant I can't really talk to my dad without lying my ass off and that's kind of the extent of my social circle," he shrugged.

"Well Allison and I broke up so-"

"Yeah, but me and Chris becoming bff's has brought you and Allison closer together again. I am awesome," Stiles grinned over at Scott.

"Bff's?" Scott asked incredulously.

"Yeah so I exaggerated, whatever. So not the point..."

Stiles totally was awesome, because once the topic of Allison was raised with Scott everything else was quickly and easily forgotten.


	5. Chapter 5

_Are you busy tonight_ , Chris texted him two days later. And for once Stiles actually had plans, even if those plans were playing video games with Scott, they were still plans. Nevertheless...

_No, do you want me to come over?_

_Yeah, seven?_

_See you then :)_ Smiley face to lighten the mood, suave Stiles. Well done.

\------

Chris must have been waiting behind the door because when Stiles knocked it opened immediately and he was hauled inside.

"What's up?" he asked, a little breathless after the man-handling.

Chris looked at him for a moment, nodded to himself and turned and headed to the kitchen, "Come on," he called.

Stiles dropped his bag by the door, it didn't seem like he would need.

"Sit," Chris nodded to the stools at the counter. When Stiles had sat down he asked, "Do you want something to drink?"

"Water, I guess?" Stiles replied, unsure. He tapped his fingers on the counter whilst Chris poured the glass. Chris came and sat down next to him, he put a hand on top of Stiles' to stop the tapping.

"I asked you here for a reason," he said.

"Yeah I kind of figured, look if this is about the other day I-"

Chris shook his head, "It's not about that."

"It's not?"

"No."

"Then that was okay then?" Stiles asked, cautiously. Chris rubbed a hand across his face before meeting Stiles' eyes.

"Yeah, that was- That was okay," he said eventually with a sigh. Stiles grinned.

"Okay."

"Okay? That's it?"

"For now," Stiles smiled and bounced a little in his seat. Chris rolled his eyes but there was an answering smile on the corner of his lips. "So, why did you ask me here?"

"For your advice on something. Do you think," he paused and took a breath. "Do you think Derek would agree to any sort of meeting with me?"

"Huh, I don't know," Stiles frowned. "Why would you want to meet with Derek?"

Chris tapped his own fingers on the counter for a moment. "Other hunters are on their way. They heard what happened with my- with Gerard. They want to come and prove themselves, sort out the town where the Argents couldn't."

"And this is a bad thing?" Stiles asked.

"Yes this is a bad thing because they will take any tiny little sign that the werewolves are not under control as reason to exterminate them," Chris explained. Stiles really shouldn't be thinking about how hot he was when he got all intense like that should he? Focus, important things happening.

"Well we had a month or two break I guess, that's something," Stiles sighed.

"No Stiles, this isn't like with Gerard. To get in with the families these hunters will need to go by the code, there will be others watching to see what they do, if they're good enough."

"Watchers?" Stiles grinned.

"You could call them that, we don't, but I don't imagine that will stop you," Chris raised an eyebrow.

"Hang on so if they're being watched they really have to go by the book, they can't just say they did," Stiles said. "So what's the problem?"

"The problem is Derek has a pack of teenagers and a former rogue Alpha. That there are two beta, borderline omega, wolves out there by themselves because Derek can't be bothered to negotiate them joining his pack," Chris grit out. "Any tiny slip up will be a sign to the hunters that Derek isn't fit to be Alpha. Depending what the slip up is they could justify putting them all down."

"Dude, they're not animals," stiles protested. Chris just looked at him. "Well not all the time, and Scott's my friend. And Isaac, Boyd and Erica don't completely suck."

"So back to my original question, do you think Derek would agree to meet with me?"

"So you can warn him, tell him he needs to play happy families?" Stiles asked.

"More or less," Chris agreed.

"I'll talk to him," Stiles said.

"No, Stiles," he wrapped a hand round one of Stiles' wrists gently. "That's not what I meant, I just thought you could help figure out the best way for me to approach him."

"The best way for you to approach him, is for me to approach him," Stiles insisted.

"No, I'm not letting you put yourself in harm’s way," Chris argued.

"It's just Derek. He's had plenty of opportunities to hurt me, and he's made plenty of threats, but he's never followed through. Unless I do something really stupid, which I don't plan on doing, then I will be fine." Stiles met Chris' wary gaze, "Promise."

"Fine," he capitulated.

"How long do we have?"

"They're due to start arriving a week tomorrow."

"They? How many hunters are we talking here?" Stiles asked warily. The look Chris gave him was enough of an answer. "Okay so I'll track Derek down tomorrow," he paused. "So about the shooting lessons?"

Chris smiled.


	6. Chapter 6

Derek didn't answer Stiles' text. Stiles was shocked, beyond surprised that he was ignored. So he nabbed Isaac's number off of Scott's phone and rang him.

"Hey dude its Stiles."

"Hi Stiles," Isaac replied, sounding confused. "What-?"

"Is Derek around, or are you going to see him? Can you ask him to please answer his phone because I really, really, really need to talk to him. It's like super urgent, life or death stuff we're talking here. And not even my life or death but yours and his so he should really-"

" _Stiles_." The sour wolf had apparently been there and had snatched Isaac's phone away from him. "What?" he barked.

"I need to talk to you," Stiles said.

"That's what you're doing right now."

"No, look, just- There's hunters. There are hunters coming to town to like take any opportunity they can to kill you all, Chris said-"

"Chris Argent? Stiles, what-?"

"No, look you just have to meet me. Or him. Him and me if you want. He'll explain it much better," he babbled.

"Well that seems likely when the other option is you," Derek huffed.

"Look he didn't have to say anything okay? He just wants to make sure there's no more unnecessary horror and death, and I'm totally with him on that one."

"Fine. Is your dad working nights tomorrow?"

"Yes, why-?"

"I'll be at yours at eight." And he hung up.

"Lovely."

Stiles sent Chris a quick text to update him. Chris replied quickly. Stiles was beginning to wonder if he just never put his phone down.

_Good. What are you doing tonight?_

_Nothing much, why?_

_Shooting practice. I'll pick you up at nine?_

_Sure._

\----------

Stiles had never been a huge fan of guns. They were cold and heavy (especially for his younger self's arms) and basically just machines of death. He also wasn't a huge fan of embarrassing himself in front of other people, which was why it was nice that Chris had apparently snuck him in to the shooting range after closing. He had a key and everything.

"I know the owner," he said when he caught Stiles' gaze. He flicked on one of the switches on the wall and a partial section of the range was lit up so they could see two or three targets before the rest faded into the darkness.

Stiles glanced at the bay Chris had walked over to and watched as Chris unlocked a case and pulled out a gun. He set it down on the shelf.

He walked back over to Stiles and guided him over to the bay, he slipped some of those head phone ear silencer things round Stiles' neck and then another pair round his own.

"Okay, so let’s just see what you remember," he said and nodded for Stiles to pick the gun up. Chris asked him a few questions which Stiles seemed to be able to answer well enough for Chris. "Okay, hold it up like you're going to shoot but leave the safety on," he instructed.

Stiles did as he was told, all the while thinking this was nothing like the cliché television or film scenes you see like this which he may have idly been hoping to play out. Chris hadn't even touched him since Stiles' had picked up the gun. Where was all the moving him into the correct position stuff, the standing behind him and oh- His mental train of thought came to a screaming stop when Chris stepped up close behind him.

"No like this," he said. He kicked Stiles' feet apart gently with one of his own and put his hands on Stiles' arms and moved them up slightly. "Not so tense," he murmured. Warm air hit the back of Stiles' neck. Not so tense? Easy for him to say.

Chris stepped back and told Stiles to shoot. It hit the paper target, that was all there really was to say though in terms of positivity.

"You tensed up," Chris said with a shake of his head. "Just-" he stepped up behind Stiles again Stiles exhaled heavily. "What?" Chris asked.

"What?" he asked incredulously. He checked the safety was on and put the gun down. Chris still hadn't moved so Stiles leant further back into him. "How am I supposed to not be tense with you there, like that?"

"Stiles."

Stiles waited for more but that was all he was going to get apparently; his name breathed out against the back of his neck whilst Chris stood plastered to Stiles back, hands on his hips, heartbeat thrumming against Stiles' back.

Patience was not nor had it ever been Stiles' strong suit. He span round quickly and took a few short steps to back Chris against the metal and mesh wall separating their bay from the next. He leant up and this time he did not wuss out.

Chris didn't move, there Stiles was putting his inexperienced, but enthusiastic and probably naturally awesome kissing skills to use and Chris was not responding. So maybe they weren't awesome skills, maybe Stiles sucked and he'd read this wrong and Chris was mentally plotting the fastest route out of here.

Stiles stopped trying and leant his head forehead against Chris'. He’d wait there for just a moment; he would move he just needed to compose himself. Their lips caught again on an exhale and Stiles' stomach jumped. He really needed to move.

Just as he was about to pull away (honestly), Chris settled a hand on his hip. Stiles froze in place, but couldn't bring himself to open his eyes and look at Chris yet. He heard Chris take what sounded like a steadying breath and then Chris' other hand moved up to rest lightly on Stiles' neck.

Stiles opened his mouth, to say what he didn't know, so it was probably a good thing Chris pulled him closer. The kiss started slow and warm and it did a pretty good job of off-lining Stiles’ brain. Chris was his kryptonite; his gorgeous, person shaped kryptonite was brain melting kissing skills.

The hand that had been resting on Stiles' hip slid round his waist and pulled him closer so he was pressed against the full length of Chris' body. Stiles groaned into the kiss and put a hand around Chris' neck, threading his fingers through Chris' hair.

Eventually they had to pull apart for air, when Stiles went to lean back in Chris pulled back. "I should take you home Stiles."

"Yes, yes take me home," Stiles nodded quickly.

"No, I need to drive you back to your home," he clarified with a rueful smile.

"Oh." Stiles heart clenched a little, he had thought there was going to be more kissing and potentially other awesome things. Possibly in Chris' study, near all the books. He really did like the books.

Chris leant in and kissed him chastely this time before he pulled back completely and went over to pack the gun away. They managed to get to the car before Stiles found his voice.

"So is there going to be more kissing, or was that a onetime kissing type thing?" he asked. Chris smiled briefly and looked at him a little more sombrely.

"There shouldn't be anymore."

"But...?" Stiles asked.

"But, I'm in the process of redefining what I _should_ be doing. I guess...some things might get lost in the shuffle," he said with a small self depreciating smile. Stiles laughed.

"Okay, awesome. And anything of _actual_ moral significance which you change your mind on please run it by me, just you know to double check the final decision," Stiles said.

"Oh you're a very significant part of the redefining process Stiles, don't worry," he said as he started the engine.


	7. Chapter 7

Derek sucked. Stiles had obviously been aware of this fact in the past, but he thought they were moving forward to a more positive co-operative relationship of understanding and mutual prevention of everyone's horrible deaths. But all Derek had done since he had got to Stiles' house - with Isaac in tow - was grunt, glare or answer in monosyllabic sentences. But best of all he kept looking suspiciously between Stiles and Chris.

Fortunately for Stiles though Chris had been somewhat more vocal, what with all the initial explaining and so forth, but he also seemed to be favouring the frowny face of gloom this evening. Isaac stood behind Derek's chair at the end of the table looking vaguely worried.

When the most recent pointed silence had dragged on just a little too long Stiles leant forward and banged his head on the table. Repeatedly.

"Stiles," Chris said exasperated as he slid his hand between Stiles' forehead and the table. Stiles rested his head for a moment before taking a breath and sitting up to glare at Derek.

"What's your problem?"

"My problem?" Derek asked with his usual tone of _'I think you're a complete and utter moron why am I even talking to you?'_ imbued in just those two words.

"Yes, you agreed to come here and talk to Chris, right?" Derek nodded. "Then why are you acting like we killed your puppy or something," Stiles continued. "Because we didn't, he's standing right there."

Isaac rolled his eyes and smiled a little. See, Isaac was good people; he was just mixed up with the wrong crowd.

"Stiles," Chris warned quietly. Derek glared again and glanced from Stiles to Chris and back again.

"That is what my problem is. You asked me here under false pretences," he growled.

"One, I didn't ask you here to my home, you invited yourself. Two, what are you talking about?"

"I said to meet here," he said between gritted teeth, "Because it should have been a neutral location."

"I still don't get it," Stiles protested.

"You, urm," Isaac hesitated for a moment. "You smell like each other."

"I'm sorry, what?" Stiles asked eyes wide.

"When you're close to someone or spend a lot of time together, their scent kind of mixes," Isaac explained. "So you will always smell kind of like your dad and him like you. And you and Scott do a bit as well."

"And now I smell like Chris too?" Stiles asked for clarification.

"Yes," Derek answered. "So, the question is whose side are you on?"

"I'm on the side of everyone not dying!" Stiles exclaimed. "What does it matter who I smell like?"

"It matters because you might be pushing the hunters agenda rather than-"

"Pushing their agenda? I hadn't said two words until I called you on your usual charming behaviour, Derek. You're just pissed that Chris is trying to help you. You don't want to need his help but you do and you don't like it," Stiles finished with a large exhale of breath.

Everyone was silent for a minute; Chris tapped his fingers on the table and glanced at each of them.

"Is everyone done?" he asked, but didn't wait for an answer. "Good. I don't care about sides. I care about protecting innocent people from getting hurt, and at the moment you and your pack fall in that category."

"With the exception of Peter," Stiles added. Chris shot him a quelling look but didn't disagree.

"You can take my help or not. But if you decide not to, then I am going to approach Boyd, Eric, Isaac, Scott and Jackson on my own and do what I can to protect them if you won't."

Stiles did his best to suppress his grin; from the look on Chris' face he hadn't been entirely successful. He didn't even risk looking over at Derek.

"What do we need to do?" Derek asked eventually.

"Maybe it's best to talk through all the details with everyone?" Chris suggested. "But the main thing is you need to bring them all together. Scott and Jackson need to be part of the pack, if only for the length of time these hunters are here."

"That will be easier said than done," Derek admitted. That was probably an understatement, Peter and Derek had after all tried to kill Jackson and very nearly succeeded. As far as Stiles knew Jackson hadn't had any contact with any of the other werewolves since.

"Maybe, uh, maybe I could try and talk to him first? Going through Lydia might be the best bet, she's smart enough to get that this is important," Stiles said.

Chris nodded. "That's the other thing; you need to decide if Lydia and Stiles are part of your pack. Again just for the duration if need be."

"Why should we be part of the pack?" Stiles asked with a frown.

"A pack with human members is usually deemed safer, there's more balance. If the pack was dangerous, humans would generally be less likely to voluntarily join," Chris explained.

"My pack, before, some were human," Derek added. "It's why we were mostly left alone by hunters when I was younger." Derek was quiet for a moment before he spoke again, "If Stiles is going to be part of the pack then it's not going to do you any favours to be seen by the other hunters with him."

Chris darted a look across at Stiles. "Okay," he agreed. Stiles let out an annoyed breath, that sucked. Who knew how long these hunters would be around for? Maybe long enough for Chris to talk himself out of more mouth-on-mouth action with Stiles.

"Okay," Derek said with a smug smile.

"Right, so we'll bring everyone back tomorrow and go through the ground rules," Chris said.

"No," Stiles shook his head. "I'm not having Peter in my house."

"Stiles-" Derek began.

"No, non-negotiable." And it was, he'd rather not have to share the same planet as Peter Hale, let alone having him in his home.

"Considering the number of you that will be coming, would you agree to meet at my house?" Chris asked.

Derek rolled his eyes, "Fine." He stood up from the table and with a last glance at Chris and Stiles he walked toward the door. Isaac gave them both a smile before he followed.

"Well that was fun," Chris said once the door closed behind them.

Stiles let out a surprised laugh. "Just think about what we've got to look forward to tomorrow evening."

Chris looked over at him and smiled. Stiles reached over to take Chris' hand where it sat on the table and laced their fingers together. Chris' smile softened and he ran his thumb over Stiles' knuckles.

"Followed by who knows how long without any Stiles face time," he said with raised eyebrows. Stiles laughed again, he hoped Chris was thinking about their more recent, more intimate face time.

"How will you survive?" Stiles sighed dramatically.

"I'm more concerned about you Stiles, what are you going to do without you're weekly dose of special time with my books?" he asked seriously.

Stiles groaned and laid his head down on his free arm on the table. Screw his life, seriously.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Better late than never :) Thank you for all the kudos and comments, I am back into the writing!

"What are you wearing?" Stiles asked, with what he was sure was a low and sexy voice. He hoped it sounded that way to Chris.

Chris laughed, "Stiles." Probably not all low and sexy then, more weird and stupid.

"What? I haven't seen you in ages, just trying to build up the mental picture," he said. He dumped his bag next to his bed and threw himself into his desk chair.

There was a pause, and then a sigh before Chris spoke again. "Jeans. And a shirt."

Stiles rolled his eyes. "You suck at this."

"Suck at what?"

"You know what," Stiles grumbled as he booted up his laptop.

"I've no idea what you are talking about Stiles."

"I hate you," Stiles said.

"Naturally."

Stiles sighed as he clicked through his emails. "What's going on in the world of the hunters then? Give me my weekly update I am ready to absorb all the important news and information."

"Weekly?"

"Weekly. Daily, whatever. Give me the knowledge, baby."

Chris chuckled. "No news I'm afraid.

"The plan is working then. And you know what they say, no news is good news."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. These hunters came here expecting to get some action; they're beginning to get a little frustrated."

"They aren't the only ones," Stiles said.

Chris sighed but didn't say anything.

"This sucks."

"We're talking to each other Stiles," Chris replied. Which Stiles took as strong agreement to the crappy state of the situation.

"Yeah but I don't get to see you. And we were just getting to the good part."

Chris was quiet for a beat too long.

"Chris?"

"Maybe-" he paused for another moment. "Maybe it's for the best Stiles."

Stiles bit the inside of his cheek, to distract himself from the way his stomach had dropped. This wasn't unexpected, he reminded himself. In fact it was the most likely outcome; he just hadn't expected it so soon.

"Is this you letting me down gently?" he managed to say. He couldn't have told you what his voice sounded like, but it definitely wasn't normal.

"No, no Stiles. I just think that maybe this will give us both a chance to reflect on what we're doing and-"

"I don't need time to reflect. You could give me ten years to reflect and I'd still come to the same conclusion, Chris."

"And what conclusion is that?" Chris asked, he sounded irritated now.

"That you're hot and kind of stealthily awesome and I want...." he trailed off.

"You don't know what you want Stiles. You're seventeen - very recently seventeen," he added. "And that's okay; you're not supposed to know." 

Stiles didn't say anything for a few moments. It was like the world had gone quite around him, everything was still there but it sounded fuzzy or far away or something.

"Stiles?"

"Fine," he said. "I get it."

"Stiles-"

"Bye Chris," he said and hung up the phone before Chris could say anything else.

\----------

"-Stiles!"

Stiles snapped to attention and span round to see his dad standing in the doorway of his bedroom. He looked concerned. Maybe he had been trying to get Stiles' attention for longer than Stiles realised.

"Hey, dad."

"Stiles, are you okay? You've been... I don't know." He came into the room and sat down next to Stiles at his desk.

"I'm fine," Stiles tried. His dad just looked at him; apparently some lies were so blatant that they had to be challenged. "Okay, okay I'm not fine but it's nothing really bad."

"If it's nothing really bad then you can tell me about it, right?"

Damn his father and his reasonable requests.

"I guess it's just, it sucks." He ran a hand over the back of his head and looked away from his dad's face. "I kind of got dumped, but not really, because it wasn't really anything yet, but..."

"You didn't say you were seeing anyone," his dad said after a pause.

"No, I know it wasn't really- No one knew, I didn't tell Scott either. It wasn't a big deal I guess," he said with a shrug.

"Well obviously it was if you’re upset over it. Listen Stiles if this girl couldn't-" he paused at Stiles wince. "...Guy? Is that why you didn't tell me? Stiles-"

"You told me I wasn't gay, and I'm not saying I am exclusively or anything but you said-"

"Well I'm sorry for what I said then. Girl or guy it doesn't matter, it's their loss. You're kind of amazing kid, if they couldn't see that they didn't deserve you."

"I don't think it was that simple, but thanks dad," he said with a smile. "I don't think I want to talk about it anymore right now."

His dad frowned but stood up anyway. "Okay," he said with a squeeze to Stiles' shoulder, "But if you do want to talk about it some more, you know where I am."

"Thanks dad," he said as his dad left the room. Stiles wished he could talk about it some more with his dad, but however mad he was at Chris right now he did not want to see him arrested, or shot for that matter.

Stiles stood up and walked over to his bed, he dropped down on his with a heavy sigh and reached for his phone. Before he could think any better of it he typed out a message and sent it to Chris. He regretted it almost instantly but there was nothing he could do about it now, he rolled over and buried his face in his pillow, closed his eyes and tried to get some sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

Unusually for Beacon Hills it all ended rather quietly. The hunters left without any fuss when it became clear they weren't going to get away with slaughtering Derek or the rest of the town's resident werewolves.

Chris had warned that they might be back, and promised to keep the pack in the loop if he heard anything. This warning had been delivered to Derek and the rest of the pack and not directly to Stiles himself. Chris hasn’t said anything directly to Stiles since The Phone Call. (And yes Stiles thought of it with capital letters, anything that made him feel as completely shit as that deserved capitalisation).

Stiles got it, sort of. It was stupid to think what was between them could come to anything. Stiles had been taking advantage of Chris’s grief in a way, and Chris probably thought he had been taking advantage of Stiles what with the age difference. It wouldn’t have worked with all the guilt, and the sneaking around. That didn’t mean that Stiles wasn’t pissed and hurting.

The pissed and hurting thing might have been the reason he was sitting in his jeep, parked just down the road from the Argent house. He had obviously been spending too much time with various shady people if he was picking up these creeper tendencies.

He rested his head on the wheel for a moment and took several steady breaths.

When he looked up he could see a figure walking toward him from the house, half lit by the porch light. Stiles rested his head back on the wheel and only looked up when the passenger door had opened and closed again.

“Hi,” he said with a little wave.

Chris sighed, “Stiles, you should go home.”

“Yeah, I know,” Stiles mumbled, he turned his head into the crook of his arm and took a deep breath. After a few moments he sat up and turned his head to look at Chris. “I just wanted- I don’t know what.”

“Well I certainly understand that,” Chris laughed.

“I get it, I do. This isn’t good for either of us, not right now anyway. In time when things are better or I’m older and have finished high school, maybe. But right now this is the right thing to do.”

“It doesn’t make it any easier though right?” Chris asked. Stiles reached over and squeezed Chris’s hand.

“Nope. Also I like how you didn’t say no to the hypothetical in the future us.”

“Yeah,” Chris smiled wryly and pulled Stiles forward by his hand. He used his other hand to pull Stiles in for a kiss more chaste than Stiles would have liked, but still better than the whole stretch of no kisses he was looking forward to.

“Take care of yourself Stiles. And if you get in any trouble you can’t get out of, call me,” Chris said, he gave Stiles the super serious face and Stiles grinned.

“Same to you, you get in just as much trouble as I do,” he teased. 

Chris laughed, “Maybe.”

“Time to go now?” Stiles said after a moment.

“Yeah I think so,” Chris replied. He pulled away with a last squeeze of Stiles hand and slipped out of the door with a parting smile.

Stiles watched him walk back up the road and into the house. He started the jeep up and turned around and started the drive home. He took one last look back in the rear view mirror and thought to himself that high school graduation could not come soon enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued in the next part of the series!


End file.
